Everything about the name MELBOURNE

Meaning, origin, history

Melbourne is an unusual and distinctive given name of English origin. It is derived from the name of the city in Australia, which was founded by settlers from England and named after the then British Prime Minister, William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne.

The name Melbourne itself means "from the mill stream" or "mill town". This refers to the city's origins as a settlement around a mill located on a riverbank. However, when the name was used for the Australian city, it was primarily chosen for its association with William Lamb, who served as Prime Minister from 1834 to 1841.

Prior to the establishment of the city in Australia, Melbourne was not a commonly used given name. After the city's founding in 1835, however, it began to gain popularity as a given name in Australia and eventually spread to other English-speaking countries around the world.

Today, Melbourne is still relatively uncommon as a given name compared to more traditional names like John or William. However, its unique association with the vibrant Australian city makes it a distinctive choice for parents looking for an unusual and memorable name for their child.

See also

English

Popularity of the name MELBOURNE since 1880

Birth evolution

Popularity analysis

The name Melbourne has been given to a total of 1012 babies in the United States over the course of many years. The number of annual births with this name varied greatly throughout different periods.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Melbourne was not a very popular name for babies. Between 1890 and 1935, there were fewer than 50 births each year with this name. The highest number of births in this period was in 1917, with 33 babies named Melbourne.

However, the popularity of the name Melbourne started to increase significantly in the late 1920s and early 1930s. In fact, from 1928 to 1932, there were more than 25 births each year with this name. The peak of this period was in 1932, with 28 babies named Melbourne.

After the mid-1930s, the popularity of the name Melbourne began to decline again. There were fewer than 20 births each year with this name from 1935 to 1972. The lowest number of births in this period was in 1945 and 1968, with only 6 and 9 babies named Melbourne respectively.

Interestingly, the popularity of the name Melbourne started to increase again in recent years. In 1979 and 1989, there were 5 and 7 births each year respectively with this name. This suggests that the name Melbourne may still be chosen by some parents today, although it remains relatively rare.

Overall, these statistics show that the popularity of the name Melbourne has varied greatly over time in the United States. While it was not a very popular name for babies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it experienced periods of increased popularity in the mid-20th century. However, its overall usage has remained relatively low compared to other names.